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Monday 6 March 2023
Recidivist Mail Thief Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Jackson man was sentenced to three years in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft relating to his repeated theft of mail and use of stolen debit and credit cards.
According to court documents, Cary Letorle Wright, 44, was arrested on July 21, 2022, after law enforcement in Jackson located his fingerprints on several pieces of stolen mail found in an abandoned zip-pouch that had been recovered near a roadway and turned in by a citizen. The deputies who arrested Wright found a large pile of stolen mail in his car. Wright voluntarily turned over additional stolen mail and a stack of stolen debit and credit cards. The stolen mail traced to more than 80 residents of Clarke County and Waynesboro, Mississippi. In an interview with police, Wright admitted that he stole the mail to obtain debit and credit cards, which he activated and used at several local businesses. In connection with his guilty plea, Wright admitted that he defrauded banks and used his victims’ stolen means of identification to further his frauds, in violation of federal law.
Wright was on federal conditions of supervised release at the time he committed this offense. He previously had been convicted of a federal mail theft offense in South Carolina in 2016, for which he served a prison sentence.United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Wright to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment, will receive mental health evaluation and treatment, and will be subject to credit restrictions. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Wright to pay $694.95 in victim restitution and $200 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Rapid City Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Rapid City, South Dakota, man for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Edwin Blaine Grass, age 37, was indicted in February of 2023. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on March 3, 2023, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 15 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge relates to Grass, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, knowingly being in possession of a Taurus revolver in Rapid City in January of 2023.
The charge is merely an accusation and Grass is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
Grass was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Oxford Man Sentenced for Stealing Government Funds and Misusing Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Oxford man has been sentenced in federal court in Worcester for false representation of a Social Security number and theft of government funds.
Richard Diaz-Montero, a/k/a John Doe, 44, was sentenced on March 1, 2023 by U.S. District Judge Mark Mastroianni to 14 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Diaz-Montero was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $39,698 to the Internal Revenue Service.
In March 2016, Diaz-Montero cashed a federal income tax refund in the name of another person he fraudulently filed for earlier that year. Two years later, in May 2018, Diaz-Montero used the Social Security number of that same person to apply for a Massachusetts driver’s license, which was ultimately issued to Diaz-Montero.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Sutton Police Chief Dennis J. Towle made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Orlando Man Sentenced for Burglarizing ATM MachineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Carlos Tawan Reed, Jr. (23, Orlando) to four years and three months in federal prison for bank burglary and bank theft in connection with the destruction of an ATM machine. Reed had pleaded guilty on November 28, 2022.
According to court records, Reed helped two other individuals wrap a chain around an ATM machine at a Chase Bank on Colonial Drive in Orlando. Using a stolen F-250 truck, the men then destroyed the casing of the ATM and stole the cash boxes inside, containing $116,650. The three individuals fled in a Mercedes rental car driven by Reed. Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office pursued the burglars on the ground and in the air. Reed failed to stop and led police on a high-speed chase, which ended when deputies deployed spike strips and disabled the car. All three men then attempted to flee on foot but were quickly apprehended. Inside the Mercedes, police recovered all of the stolen money.
The two other accomplices, Deontrae Walden and Wendell Harp, have both entered guilty pleas and are awaiting sentencing. Walden admitted his role in five such burglaries in the area. A fourth individual, Aqunis Green, was arraigned and has pleaded not guilty. Green is currently serving a 46-month federal sentence for similar conduct in the Eastern District of Texas. He now faces a maximum term of 20 years on this indictment in the Middle District of Florida.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Quashane R. Varner Jr., 27, of Akron, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 17, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a 12th Street apartment in Huntington where Varner was residing and found 362 grams of methamphetamine and a Glock, Model 29, 10mm pistol. Varner admitted to possessing the methamphetamine and the firearm and further admitted that he intended to sell the methamphetamine.
Varner also admitted that he told investigators on the day of the search that he had previously obtained a 1-pound quantity of methamphetamine, and the amount seized during the search represented what he had not yet sold. Varner further admitted to investigators that he had been selling fentanyl in the Huntington area.
Varner is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-72.
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New York Drug Supplier Convicted After Federal Trial for Supplying Fentanyl to a Prince George’s County Drug DealerRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury today convicted Valfonso Dewitt, a/k/a “Valentino” and “Val,” age 72, of Bronx, New York, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and on two counts for using his cellular telephone to facilitate illegal drug distribution. The jury acquitted Dewitt on three counts of using his cellular telephone to facilitate illegal drug distribution.
The guilty verdict was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department.
According to the evidence presented at his four-day trial, from January 2019 through at least September 2019, Dewitt conspired with co-defendant James Isaac Gaston, Gaston’s wife Jacqueline Shelton Gaston, and others to distribute fentanyl. The evidence proved that in September 2019, Dewitt distributed nearly half a kilogram of pure fentanyl—enough to kill almost 250,000 people—to James Gaston just outside Memphis, Tennessee. Approximately 14 hours later, law enforcement seized the fentanyl during a traffic stop on Gaston’s car shortly after Gaston drove over the I-495 bridge from Virginia into Prince George’s County, Maryland.
James Isaac Gaston, age 74, and Jacqueline Shelton Gaston, age 52, both of Lanham, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug distribution conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on May 8, 2023 and June 23, 2023, respectively.
Dewitt faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for the drug conspiracy and a maximum sentence of four years in federal prison for each count of using his cellular phone to facilitate a drug felony. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has not yet scheduled a sentencing date for Dewitt.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the FBI, and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County Police Department and the Maryland State Police for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey J. Izant and Geonard F. Butler II, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Violating the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – PAUL THOMAS, age 34, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on March 2, 2023 by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of the Federal Gun Control Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
THOMAS had previously admitted to possessing a Glock pistol with an extended magazine and an AR-15 style rifle with double drum magazines at an auto-body shop he operated on Clark Street in New Orleans. New Orleans Police Department officers had conducted a search of the shop during a murder investigation. The officers found a .357 handgun, four rifles, a shotgun, four Glock .40 caliber handguns, several magazines, three digital scales, and various cell phones.
Judge Fallon sentenced THOMAS to 49 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by three years of supervised release after his term of imprisonment. Judge Fallon also ordered THOMAS to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 and ordered that the guns he had possessed be forfeited to the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced on Carjacking and Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that defendant, RICHARD JONES, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on February 28, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Greg G. Guidry to a total term of 180 months. As to Counts 1, 3, and 6 of the indictment pending against him, the Court sentenced JONES to 120 months of imprisonment, to be served concurrently with each other. As to Count 2, JONES was sentenced to a term of 60 months, to be served consecutively to the terms imposed for Counts 1, 3, and 6. Additionally, upon release from imprisonment, Judge Guidry ordered that JONES be placed on supervised release for a term of 5 years, consisting of 3 years as to each of Counts 1, 3, and 6 and 5 years as to Count 2, such terms to run concurrently. Finally, JONES was ordered to pay a total $400 mandatory special assessment fee for Counts 1, 2, 3, and 6 of the six-count indictment.
Count One charged JONES with carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1). Count Two charged JONES with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, that is, a carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). Count Three charged JONES with burglary of a federal firearms licensee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(u). Finally, Count Six charged JONES with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g) and 924(a)(2).
JONES pled guilty to a carjacking which occurred on April 16, 2020, in New Orleans, LA. after admitting that he and a co-defendant, while armed with a firearm, took the vehicle from the victim. Additionally, on April 17, 2020, deputies with St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at C&S Gun Parlor in Covington, LA, a federal firearm licensee, and discovered that a truck had rammed the front entrance. Surveillance video footage revealed that a pick-up truck had driven through the entrance of the business. Thereafter, three individuals were seen, exiting the vehicle and throwing forty-five weapons that they had stolen from the store into the bed of the truck. JONES was identified as one of these participants. Eventually, JONES was arrested in New Orleans and found to be in illegal possession of a firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the New Orleans Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Haven Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and CrackRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KISHON SHIELDS, also known as “L.A.” and “Key,” 25, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for his role in New Haven drug trafficking ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the fall of 2021, the New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and New Haven Police Department began investigating a drug trafficking ring that was distributing fentanyl, heroin crack and cocaine in and around the West Hills neighborhood, including the McConaughy Terrace housing complex located on South Genesee Street in New Haven. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, fixed video surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that a member of the conspiracy was receiving heroin and fentanyl from an out-of-state supplier, and kilogram quantities of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from a source in Puerto Rico. Shields and his coconspirators packaged fentanyl and crack at the McConaughy Terrace housing complex, and referred customers to one another in order to distribute the drugs from that location.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 19 kilograms of cocaine, more than 7,000 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, and more than $780,000 in cash.
On February 15, 2022, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Shield and seven co-defendants. On November 28, 2022, Shields pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine base (“crack”) and cocaine.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Task Force includes participants from the New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, East Haven Police Department, West Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Kenneth L. Gresham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Modesto Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Receiving and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jonathan James Rodriguez, 40, of Modesto, was sentenced today 14 years and two months in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for receiving and distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from approximately January 2014 through January 2020, Rodriguez was found to have received and/or distributed on a laptop computer over 500 video files depicting minors, some as young as infants and toddlers, suffering various acts of sexual abuse.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian W. Enos prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Miami-Based Social Media Influencer Pleads Guilty to $1.5 Million COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Miami woman pleaded guilty today to fraudulently obtaining over $1 million in pandemic-related loans using the stolen identities of more than 10 individuals, and then using those funds for personal expenses, including chartering a private jet and rental of a luxury apartment.
Danielle Miller, 32, pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for June 27, 2023. Miller was arrested on a criminal complaint in May 2021 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2021.
From in or around July 2020 through May 2021, Miller devised and executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related relief loans funded by the federal government – including Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as well as Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and related unemployment benefits. To execute the scheme, Miller used the personal identifying information of more than 10 individuals and used fake business names to apply for and receive more than $1 million in government benefits.
Additionally, Miller possessed counterfeit driver’s licenses in the victims’ names but bearing Miller’s photograph. In August 2020, Miller used a counterfeit driver’s license in the name of a Massachusetts victim to arrange a Gulfstream private jet charter flight from Florida to California, where she stayed at a luxury hotel under the same victim’s name. In a separate instance, Miller used the identity of another victim to rent a luxury apartment in Florida.
Miller maintained an active social media presence via her Instagram account, which had more than 34,000 followers. There, Miller posted her extravagant use of the fraud proceeds and stolen identities, publicizing her purchasing of luxury goods and renting of luxury accommodations. Posts to this account included a post showing Miller at luxury hotels in California where transactions were made using the bank account in one of the victim’s names.
The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of aggravated identity theft provide for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutively to any other sentenced imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Eastern Region; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Abington (Mass.) Police Chief David DelPapa made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Miami and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William F. Abely, Chief of Rollins’ Criminal Division and Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Mercer County Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Jermaine Antwon Jones, 34, of Bluefield, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 11, 2022, Jones sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Bluefield. Jones admitted to selling the fentanyl as well as quantities of fentanyl and cocaine to the same confidential informant on two other occasions in Mercer County around the same time period.
On January 19, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Jones’ residence and found approximately 15 grams of fentanyl and 7.94 grams of cocaine. Jones admitted that he planned to distribute the controlled substances.
Jones was previously convicted of distributing cocaine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 4, 2018. Jones was sentenced today to two years in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release for that conviction, to run concurrently with today’s five-year, 10-month sentence.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. The task force consists of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Bluefield Police Department, the Princeton Police Department, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, and the McDowell County Sheriff’s Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-200.
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Merced Man Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Prison for $60,000 Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Ruben Chavez III, 37, of Merced, was sentenced today to three years and nine months in prison for credit card fraud and related identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between April 2021 and March 2022, Chavez used, or attempted to use, more than 20 victims’ credit cards to make over $60,000 in fraudulent purchases at retail stores, including home appliances. He also changed the victims’ mailing addresses to his own address and created fake identification cards in their names to help further his fraud.
This case was the product of an investigation by U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
Merced Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Manufacturing and Deploying BombsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Wes Parker McDaniel, 53, of Merced, was sentenced today to 10 years and five months in prison for maliciously destroying property by means of explosive materials and manufacturing bombs, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, between Feb. 1, 2021, and June 22, 2021, McDaniel made 12 destructive devices or bombs made with illegal fireworks that he had purchased in Nevada, ammunition, shrapnel, fire starting material, and other items. He deployed six of the bombs at two residences in Merced and one in Lemoore in retaliation against three intended victims. his McDaniel deployed three of the bombs at a residence where he mistakenly thought one victim resided. One of the bombs hit the wall of the house, exploded, and destroyed the fence, which was shared with a neighboring property. Shrapnel emitted from the device created pock marks on the wall of the house, and a propane tank was badly burned. McDaniel placed two bombs near the car of another victim and threw a bomb at the residence of the third victim.
Following these incidents, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at McDaniel’s residence where they found six bombs, bomb-making material, a .22‑caliber rifle, and boxes of ammunition. As a convicted felon, McDaniel is prohibited from possessing firearms, including destructive devices, and ammunition.
U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba ordered the forfeiture of the destructive devices, rifle, and ammunition and ordered McDaniel to pay $2,180 in restitution to cover the loss of the fence.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Merced Police Department, the Lemoore Police Department, and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Manderson Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on February 27, 2023.
John Joseph White Plume, Sr., 51, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
White Plume was indicted for Sexual Abuse of a Minor by a federal grand jury in October of 2021. He pleaded guilty on July 11, 2022.
The conviction stems from White Plume engaging in sexual acts with the victim on March 1, 2021, at Manderson.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
White Plume was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding Investors of 2 Companies, Evading TaxesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRIAN HUGHES, 58, formerly of Madison, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for defrauding investors of two companies, and for tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2015, Hughes founded Handcrafted Brands, LLC (“HCB”), for the purpose of raising money to purchase Salute American Vodka, (“Salute”) an alcoholic beverage company. Hughes subsequently solicited and received funds from dozens of investors ostensibly for the purchase and subsequent development of Salute. Hughes used the first investment he received, in the amount $150,000, to pay his taxes and his American Express credit card expenses. Although HCB purchased Salute in June 2016 for $450,000, Hughes continued to solicit investments from investors and used hundreds of thousands dollars in invested funds for expenses unrelated to Salute. He also used funds to pay off an earlier investor under the guise of a return on a prior investment made by the earlier investor, which is commonly known as a “lulling” payment.
Hughes also solicited investments purportedly on behalf of another company, which is identified in court documents as “Company-1.” In fact, Hughes had no official relationship with Company-1 and could not raise capital on its behalf. Hughes spent the money he received for this investment on personal expenses, to pay earlier investors, and on business related to Salute.
Finally, Hughes evaded the assessment of his tax obligations for the 2015 through 2018 tax years by substantially underreporting his income to the IRS, resulting in a tax loss of $470,880.
Hughes was arrested on January 14, 2021. On February 15, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of making an illegal monetary transaction, and one count of tax evasion.
Judge Arterton ordered Hughes to pay full restitution to investors in both HCB and Company-1, and to the IRS, in the total amount of $2,991,880.
Hughes, who is released on a $250,000 bond and living in New Canaan, is required to report to prison on September 6.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Man Sentenced in El Paso for Trafficking Cocaine, Fentanyl into U.S.Read the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A U.S. citizen living in Mexico was sentenced Thursday to 51 months in prison for conspiracy to import a controlled substance.
According to court documents, Eduardo Aletse Herrera, 20, of Cuidad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico attempted to enter the U.S. at the Ysleta Port of Entry on July 28, 2022. During a vehicle inspection, Customs and Border Protection Officers discovered nine bundles hidden throughout the car. Five of the bundles tested positive for 5.84 kilograms of cocaine, while the remaining four bundles tested positive for 4.46 kilograms of fentanyl. Herrera pleaded guilty to one count in the eight-count indictment Nov. 30, 2022.
“The defendant in this case attempted to smuggle a very large amount of lethal narcotics into our country,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “We can thank our partner agents at the border for detecting the drugs and thwarting Herrera’s efforts.”
“This sentence sends a warning to drug smugglers that HSI special agents along with our law enforcement and judicial partners will work tirelessly to bring to justice those who supply our communities with fentanyl and other deadly drugs, contributing to an already-devastating national opioid epidemic.” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of the Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division.
HSI and CBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Susanna Martinez prosecuted the case.
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Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – CLEMENT LEACH, age 52, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was indicted on one count of Bank Robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, on Monday, March 2, 2020, LEACH robbed Chase Bank and obtained approximately $920. If convicted, LEACH faces a maximum of twenty years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release following his release from prison and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force and officers of New Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – CLEMENT LEACH, age 52, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was indicted on one count of Bank Robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to the indictment, on Monday, March 2, 2020, LEACH robbed Chase Bank and obtained approximately $920. If convicted, LEACH faces a maximum of twenty years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release following his release from prison and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force and officers of New Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
Man Arrested for Attempting to Open Emergency Exit Door Aboard Flight to BostonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Leominster, Mass. man has been arrested and charged for allegedly attempting to open an emergency exit door while aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston and then allegedly attempting to stab a flight attendant in the neck.
Francisco Severo Torres, 33, was charged with one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon. Torres was arrested last evening at Boston Logan International Airport and, following an initial appearance today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Dein, was detained pending a hearing set for March 9, 2023.
According to the charging documents, on March 5, 2023, Torres was a passenger aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston. Approximately 45 minutes prior to landing, the flight crew received an alarm in the cockpit that a starboard side door located between the first class and coach sections of the aircraft was disarmed. Upon inspection, a flight attendant found that the door’s locking handle had been moved out of the fully locked position – approximately a quarter of the way towards the towards the unlocked position – and that the emergency slide arming lever had been moved to the “disarmed” position. The flight attendant reported this to the captain and flight crew after securing the door and emergency slide.
In subsequent discussions, a fellow flight attendant reported that he had observed Torres near the door and believed Torres had tampered with the door. A flight attendant then confronted Torres about tampering with the door, to which he allegedly responded by asking if there were cameras showing that he had done so. According to court documents, the flight attendant then notified the captain that they believed Torres posed a threat to the aircraft and that the captain needed to land the aircraft as soon as possible.
Shortly thereafter, it is alleged that Torres got out of his seat and approached the starboard side door where two flight attendants were standing in the aisle. One of the flight attendants saw Torres mouthing something that he could not hear. Torres then allegedly thrust towards one of the flight attendants in a stabbing motion with a broken metal spoon, hitting the flight attendant on the neck area three times. Passengers then tackled Torres and he was restrained with the assistance of flight crew. Torres was immediately taken into custody upon the flight’s arrival to Boston.
It is alleged that during subsequent interviews, passengers who were aboard the flight reported that Torres asked a fellow passenger where on the safety card it showed where the door handle was located during the flight attendants’ safety briefing prior to takeoff and that Torres was seen pacing in a galley before attacking the flight attendant.
The charge of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maine Man Sentenced to 18 Months Imprisonment for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Sean Crockett, 41, of Lebanon, Maine, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for bank fraud, United States Attorney Jane E. Young announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Crockett used other people’s identities to open merchant accounts and used those accounts to process fraudulent credit card payments. Merchant accounts are bank accounts for businesses that allow them to accept payments by debit or credit card.
To execute the scheme, Crockett used altered bank and incorporation records, false tax documents, and other persons’ identities to apply for and open merchant bank accounts for companies Crockett controlled. Crockett paid some of these persons to use their identities to open these accounts. Others did not know Crockett and never gave permission to him to open the merchant accounts.
Crockett then used stolen credit card information to process fraudulent transactions. Crockett withdrew the funds soon after they were deposited. Later the credit card holders disputed the transactions, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars of “chargebacks” to those merchant accounts. Normally, when chargebacks occur the funds are withdrawn from the merchant account. In this case, however, because Crockett had already withdrawn the funds, the bank was forced to pay the chargebacks. Because of this, the bank routinely closed Crockett’s merchant accounts. To continue the scheme, Crockett opened new merchant accounts using other peoples’ identities.
In addition to his prison sentence, Crockett was ordered to pay $145,289.01 in restitution and will be under three years of supervised release following the completion of his sentence.
“Financial crimes cause serious harm to victims and deprive them of their hard-earned money,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “Through this deceitful scheme, the defendant defrauded his victims and prevented financial institutions from clawing back his ill-gotten gains. To stop this type of criminal activity, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute fraudsters and other white-collar criminals.”
“Today Sean Crockett learned his fate for orchestrating a sophisticated fraud scheme using other people’s identities to open accounts to evade detection so he could then commit more fraud, harming his victims and forcing them to incur hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary losses,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “What he did is inexcusable, and the FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to tackle these types of financial crimes and bring their perpetrators to justice.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen.
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MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy and MurderRead the Press Release
A Maryland man was sentenced today to life in prison for racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiring to destroy evidence connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, aka Felon, 33, of Landover Hills, was a member of MS-13, a transnational criminal enterprise and one of the largest street gangs in the United States that is composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries. Ordonez-Zometa and his co-conspirators – Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala and Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia – were members and associates of the Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (LGCS or Ghettos) clique of MS-13. Ordonez-Zometa was the leader of the LGCS clique.
Between August 2018 and April 2019, Ordonez-Zometa and his co-conspirators participated in the MS-13 criminal enterprise by engaging in acts of violence, including murder, the destruction of evidence, and witness tampering, among other crimes. Ordonez-Zometa and his fellow gang members committed these crimes to increase MS-13’s power in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia.
As part of the conspiracy, MS-13 members were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang, using any means necessary to force respect, including acts of intimidation and violence. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position.
On March 8, 2019, Ordonez-Zometa called a meeting of the LGCS clique at his house to discuss clique matters, including recent contacts that another LGCS clique member (Victim 1) had with the police. Ordonez-Zometa, his co-conspirators, Victim 1, and other MS-13 members participated in the meeting, during which Ordonez-Zometa questioned Victim 1 about his/her cooperation with police. During the questioning, Ordonez-Zometa, his co-conspirators, and at least one other MS-13 member assaulted Victim 1 based on their incorrect suspicions that Victim 1 was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend Victim 1. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa ordering that Victim 1 be killed. His co-conspirators and other MS-13 members then stabbed and murdered Victim 1 in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement.
After the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered his co-conspirators and other LGCS clique members to conceal and destroy evidence of the murder. Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported the body of the victim to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia. They set the victim’s body on fire and then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim. Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal evidence of the murder, including Victim 1’s blood.
In December 2022, Ordonez-Zometa, Ortega-Ayala, and Hernandez-Garcia were convicted at trial of racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering conspiracies, committing murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence.
Ortega-Ayala and Hernandez-Garcia also face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Their sentencing dates have not yet been set.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police Department investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Office.
Trial Attorneys Jared Engelking and Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including a Murder in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, a/k/a “Felon,” age 33, of Landover Hills, Maryland, to life in federal prison for racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering conspiracies, for committing murder in aid of racketeering, and for conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13. Ordonez-Zometa was convicted on December 16, 2022, after a two-week trial, along with co-defendants Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, a/k/a Impaciente,” age 30, of Greenbelt, Maryland; and Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, a/k/a “Paciente,” age 29, of Annandale, Virginia.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Office; Stafford County Sheriff David P. Decatur; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department.
MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, operate throughout the United States, including in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Ordonez-Zometa and his co-defendants were members and associates of the Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (“LGCS” or “Ghettos”) clique of MS-13.
The evidence at trial established that between August 2018 and April 2019, Ordonez-Zometa and his co-defendants participated in the MS-13 criminal enterprise by engaging in acts of violence, including murder, the destruction of evidence, and witness tampering, among other crimes. The criminal acts were committed by gang members to increase MS-13’s power in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia.
As part of the conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons, using any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position.
As detailed during the trial, Ordonez-Zometa was the leader of the LGCS clique. Ordonez-Zometa called a meeting of the LGCS clique at his house on March 8, 2019, to discuss clique matters, including recent contacts that an LGCS clique member (Victim 1) had with the police. Ordonez-Zometa, Victim 1, the co-defendants, and other MS-13 members participated in the meeting, during which Ordonez-Zometa questioned Victim 1 about his/her cooperation with police.
During the questioning, Ordonez-Zometa, his co-defendants and at least one other MS-13 member assaulted Victim 1, based on their incorrect suspicions that Victim 1 was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend Victim 1. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa, as LGCS clique leader, ordering that Victim 1 be killed. Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia and other MS-13 members then stabbed and murdered Victim 1 in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement.
According to trial testimony, after the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other LGCS clique members and co-conspirators, to conceal and destroy evidence of the murder. Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported the body of the victim to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia, and set the victim’s body on fire, then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim. Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal evidence of the murder, including the blood of Victim 1.
Ortega-Ayala and Hernandez-Garcia also face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Their sentencing dates have not been set.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. commended the FBI, HSI, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance. Mr. Barron and Mr. Polite thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan and Trial Attorneys Jared Engelking and Matthew Hoff of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting this case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Last Defendant Sentenced to Prison for Shipping Cocaine via MailRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to 57 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for his role in a conspiracy to ship cocaine and money proceeds via the U.S. Postal Service from Las Vegas to Columbus, Ohio.
According to court documents, between November 18, 2020 and January 28, 2021, Luis Enrique Ortiz-Ibarra (30) and co-conspirators Marcell Arturo Perez-Aranda (25) and Juan Carlos Montalvo-Navarrete (28) shipped cocaine and money through the U.S. Postal Service. As part of the conspiracy, Ortiz-Ibarra and Montalvo-Navarrete shipped parcels containing cocaine from Las Vegas to Columbus, Ohio. Over the course of the conspiracy, Ortiz-Ibarra and Montalvo-Navarrete shipped 17.9 kilograms of cocaine from Nevada to Ohio. During the same period, Perez-Aranda shipped parcels containing tens of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds from Columbus back to Las Vegas.
Ortiz-Ibarra pleaded guilty in August 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Montalvo-Navarrete was sentenced to 60 months in prison; and Perez-Aranda was sentenced to 57 months in prison.
United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Las Vegas District Office made the announcement.
The DEA investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Brister prosecuted the case.
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Laplace Man Sentenced for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LENDELL WALLACE, age 39, a resident of LaPlace, Louisiana, was sentenced on March 2, 2023, to 12 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier, after pleading guilty to a two-count indictment which charged him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute tramadol and possession with intent to distribute tramadol, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(E), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, 800 dosage units of tramadol were seized from WALLACE’s residence pursuant to a search warrant. The investigation revealed that on multiple occasions WALLACE had tramadol mailed to his home from Singapore. He then distributed and conspired with others to distribute the tramadol.
This case was investigated by St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, and United States Customs and Border Protection. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.
L.A. Man Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in Prison for $5.5 Million COVID Jobless Benefits Scam, Tax Fraud and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A downtown Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 292 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining nearly $5.5 million in COVID-related jobless benefits by using the identities of California state prison inmates and other third parties, trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, and seeking to fraudulently obtain more than $356,400 in tax refunds.
Edward Kim, 37, was sentenced by United States District Judge James V. Selna, who ordered him to pay $5,458,050 in restitution to the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and $16,800 in restitution to the IRS.
Kim pleaded guilty in November 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims, two counts of mail fraud, and two counts of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices.
Kim has been in federal custody since his arrest in this case in March 2021.
From May 2020 to March 2021, Kim and his co-conspirators submitted approximately 459 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to EDD, using the names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth and other personal identifiable information (PII) of California state prison inmates and other people. Kim received the inmates’ information from various sources, including by purchasing PII from the dark web.
Kim and his accomplices submitted to the EDD online applications for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits that falsely represented the inmates and others were unemployed because of the economic crisis brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kim knowingly listed on the applications false mailing addresses, including his current and former apartments, to which the bank sent the EDD-approved debit cards containing UI funds. Kim then made cash withdrawals at bank branches.
In total, Kim and his co-conspirators received approximately $5,458,050 in fraudulently obtained UI funds.
In November 2019, Kim sent two packages – one containing nearly one pound (449.6 grams) of methamphetamine, the other containing over 300 fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl – from a FedEx store in West Covina to the address of a UPS Store in Hawaii. Kim’s co-conspirator in Hawaii arrived at the UPS Store to pick up the packages, but law enforcement arrested him before he could do so.
In July 2020, Kim began renting a warehouse in La Habra where he stored equipment and materials for the manufacture and distribution of narcotics, including pill presses and dies, pill bottles, scales, and various binding agents. He also maintained a marijuana grow operation at the La Habra warehouse.
Beginning in March 2020, he conspired with others to defraud the United States by using stolen identities to file false and fraudulent income tax returns to fraudulently claim tax refunds. The tax returns included false information designed to qualify for COVID pandemic-related Economic Impact Payments (EIP), which the federal government provided on three occasions in 2020 and 2021. Together with his co-conspirators, Kim caused at least 297 fraudulent tax returns to be filed with the IRS which sought more than $356,400 in fraudulent EIP from the United States.
During a traffic stop in La Habra in November 2020, law enforcement found approximately 22 grams of methamphetamine in Kim’s car, along with a digital scale, and 16 debit cards in the names of other people.
Another search in March 2021 at Kim’s luxury apartment near L.A. Live resulted in law enforcement finding nearly 35 grams of methamphetamine, dozens of EDD letters and mailings, and a notebook marked “stimulus scheme,” which contained approximately 405 different identities.
A search of the La Habra warehouse in 2021 led to the discovery of more EDD paperwork, ATM withdrawal receipts, and nearly 296 grams of methamphetamine. A 9mm Polymer80 handgun with no serial number – commonly referred to as a “ghost gun” – also was found at the La Habra warehouse during a subsequent search later than year.
Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the California Employment Development Department – Investigation Division, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Special Service Unit, the La Habra Police Department, and the Hawaii Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew M. Roach of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crime Section and Julia Hu of the Major Frauds section prosecuted this case.
Anyone with general information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Jury Convicts Man of Fentanyl and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted an Arizona man after Tulsa police officers found him with more than 8,000 fentanyl pills and multiple stolen firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Hatcher Ramon Day, 27, of Phoenix, Arizona, was convicted Thursday of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute; possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
“Hatcher Day came from Arizona to Oklahoma for the purpose of distributing fentanyl. He further possessed five firearms to help protect his illicit product and profits,” said US Attorney Clint Johnson. “Drugs and guns are never a good combination and too often result in violence and death. These dealers wreak havoc on families and contribute to the economic decline in neighborhoods. My office and our partners at the Tulsa Police Department and ATF are committed to stopping them.”
In September 2022, an officer with the Tulsa Police Department’s Human Trafficking and Vice Unit, received a tip about a man who was selling fentanyl pills out of a Tulsa home. A subsequent records check revealed that the residence was a short-term Airbnb rental property.
On Sept. 19, 2022, Tulsa police officers executed a search warrant on the home, where Day was present. During the search, they discovered more than 8,000 fentanyl pills weighing 888 grams, five firearms, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Day was a convicted felon and, therefore, prohibited from possessing firearms. Officers discovered four of the five firearms were stolen when they checked the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. Additionally, officers established that Day was the individual who rented the property through Airbnb.
During trial, a witness testified that he and Day came from Arizona to Tulsa for the purpose of distributing fentanyl. He also testified that before the search warrant was executed on the home, he witnessed Day conduct a drug deal, where Day agreed to sell a customer two “boats” of fentanyl. A “boat” is considered one thousand fentanyl pills.
The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case
Jury Convicts Fort Pierce Man of Carjacking at GunpointRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A South Florida federal jury has convicted Fort Pierce resident Xavier Daughtry, 25, of carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Just before midnight on May 9, 2022, the victim parked her vehicle at a gas station on U.S. Hwy 1 in Fort Pierce. After going inside the store, the victim returned to find Daughtry attempting to enter her vehicle. The victim confronted Daughtry, who then raised a loaded .45 caliber pistol and pointed it at the victim’s face, telling her to back up. Daughtry then got inside the vehicle and left the area. Less than eight minutes later, Daughtry was apprehended by St. Lucie County Sheriff’s deputies and Fort Pierce police officers. When apprehended, Daughtry was in the stolen vehicle and sitting on the pistol (which was loaded, with a round in the chamber, and the hammer cocked).
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Maged Behnam of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The case was investigated by FBI Miami, Fort Pierce Resident Agency, with assistance from ATF Fort Pierce Field Office, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fort Pierce Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Michael Porter and Justin Hoover.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-14047.
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Huntington Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Courtney Michelle McComas, 35, of Huntington, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 24,2021, McComas sold approximately 1.63 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in a vehicle at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Richmond Street in Huntington.
McComas admitted to that transaction and also admitted to selling approximately 2 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant on November 16, 2021, in Huntington. On November 19, 2021, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at an Oney Avenue residence and of a vehicle in Huntington. McComas admitted to possessing the approximately 41 grams of fentanyl found by officers during the searches, and further admitted that she intended to distribute the fentanyl.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-58.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kilan Nicks, also known as “Low,” 26, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 6, 2022, Nicks sold approximately 4 grams of fentanyl and 29 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Roby Road apartment in Huntington. On June 7, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a McVeigh Avenue residence in Huntington while Nicks was present. Nicks admitted to possessing a Taurus 9mm pistol and approximately $3,635 found during the search. Nicks further admitted that the firearm was for his protection and the cash was proceeds from his distribution of drugs.
Nicks also admitted to conspiring with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area from February 2022 until around June 2022. Nicks traveled to California and Arizona and acquired methamphetamine and fentanyl that he transported back to the Southern District of West Virginia for distribution as part of the conspiracy. Nicks maintained the Roby Road apartment and an 18th Street residence to store and distribute the drugs. Nicks further admitted to selling a total of 37.5 grams of fentanyl and 200 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in the Huntington area over 10 separate transactions during the conspiracy.
On June 7, 2022, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at the 18th Street residence and a residence in Chesapeake, Ohio. Nicks admitted to possessing 690.71 grams of fentanyl and a Radical Firearms, M4 5.56mm rifle seized at the 18th Street residence, and to possessing a Masterpiece Arms, Defender 9mm pistol, and a blender containing fentanyl residue seized at the Chesapeake residence.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-118.
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Houma Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act, the Federal Gun Control Act, and Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSHUA BOGEN, age 31, a resident of Houma, Louisiana, pled guilty on March 1, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the commission of a drug trafficking offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii), felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), and assaulting a federal officer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(b), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, on October 18, 2021, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents received information that BOGEN, a convicted felon, would be transporting approximately two pounds of crystal methamphetamine from Houma, Louisiana to a residence on Pauger Street in New Orleans to conduct a drug deal. Upon arriving at the Pauger Street residence, BOGEN got out of his vehicle carrying a large bag containing 1009.9 grams of pure methamphetamine and a Glock Model 26 Gen 4, nine-millimeter semi-automatic handgun with a round in the chamber. DEA agents then turned on their surveillance unit’s flashing blue lights and began to exit the vehicle. Immediately after an agent opened their door, BOGEN brandished his handgun and pointed it directly at one of the agents. Agents took cover at the rear of the vehicle and one shot was fired in BOGEN’s direction. BOGEN, who was not wounded, immediately threw the handgun and the large bag of methamphetamine over the fence adjacent to the driveway of the residence and surrendered.
For possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, BOGEN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the commission of a drug trafficking offense, BOGEN faces a statutory minimum sentence of seven years of imprisonment, up to life, to run consecutive with any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. For being a felon in possession of a firearm, BOGEN faces up to ten years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years supervised release. For assaulting a federal officer, BOGEN faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years supervised release. For each of the four counts, BOGEN faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.
Honduran National Sentenced to Time Served for Illegal Re-Entry After DeportationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – MARIO RENE REYES-CARDONA, age 52, was sentenced on March 2, 2023 for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to documents filed in court and signed by him, MARIO RENE REYES-CARDONA (“REYES-CARDONA”) admitted to reentering the United States after being previously deported on December 18, 2013. REYES-CARDONA was sentenced by the Honorable Nannette Jolivette Brown, Chief U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Louisiana, to time served, which exceeded 16 months.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Heavily Armed, Repeat Drug Dealer Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Meth while on Community CorrectionsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Dreshaun Carter, 26, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on February 1, 2022, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents arrested Dreshaun Carter on a federal warrant for distributing methamphetamine.
DEA agents executed a search warrant at Carter’s residence, where they located over 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl, over 900 grams of methamphetamine, over 200 grams of crack cocaine, $90,123 in U.S. currency, digital scales, 19 firearms, and police body armor. Three of the firearms were stolen.
At the time of his arrest, Carter was on community corrections with GPS monitoring and had previously been convicted of a felony for dealing narcotics.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Randal Taylor, and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
“His prior drug dealing felony and supervision by Community Corrections didn’t deter the defendant from pushing fentanyl, meth, and crack into our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “Even wearing a GPS monitor, he still chose to arm himself to the teeth—with nineteen guns and police body armor. The serious federal prison sentence imposed today will hopefully convince him to finally change his ways when he is released. I commend the DEA and IMPD for their investigation and commitment to protect the public from dangerous, repeat drug traffickers.”
DEA and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker. Judge Barker also ordered that Carter be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years after his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Pamela S. Domash, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Georgia Cyber Fraud Task Force marks two years addressing the laundering of cyber-enabled fraud proceeds in the metro-Atlanta areaRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Cyber-enabled crimes cost Georgia residents almost $144 million in 2021, with losses attributed to business email compromise schemes, investment scams, and confidence or romance scams topping the list of frauds. Nationally, these losses are in the billions. The Georgia Cyber Fraud Task Force, which investigates and prosecutes these cases, comprises local, state, and federal agencies throughout Georgia, committed to sustained community outreach, as well as training for law enforcement and prosecutors to better respond to cyber-enabled crime.
Cyber-fraudsters perpetrate these scams by utilizing a network of participants who each play an integral part in the success of the scam. One critical actor in these schemes is the “money mule”: the party responsible for opening a U.S. bank account, usually a business account, and accepting proceeds from a variety of frauds and forwarding the funds as directed, often to accounts overseas. The mission of the Georgia Cyber Fraud Task Force (CFTF) is to identify quality leads for investigation of suspected money mules in the Atlanta area and reduce the amount of time and resources necessary to impact those mules through judicial intervention.
Money mules act as a sort of contractor in the economy of cyber-enabled fraud, rather than the perpetrator interacting with a victim. The money flowing into money mule accounts represents proceeds from a variety of fraud types and numerous victims, and the money may flow out to second-tier recipients who remain unaware of one another. The anonymity with which these fraud schemes operate works to the advantage of the perpetrators. The sheer volume of victims who funnel money into a mule’s account – who may operate more than a dozen bank accounts – poses a daunting obstacle for law enforcement.
Untangling the web of bank accounts associated with a single mule, and the victims who deposited money into those accounts, may require more than a year of law enforcement time and resources. But focusing investigative efforts on identifying and removing money mules from fraud operations makes it harder for fraudsters to direct victim funds into U.S. bank accounts. Impacting the ability of fraudsters to move stolen funds reduces the success of these fraud schemes.
Most law enforcement activity is initially victim-centric; a victim contacts their local law enforcement agency to report that they have been defrauded. But in cyber-enabled fraud schemes the money and the person who received it are rarely in the same location, or the same state, as the victim who reports the crime. Typically, law enforcement traces the funds to an out-of-state account and then must pass the lead off to law enforcement in that jurisdiction and hope that the investigation continues. The CFTF is addressing this investigative challenge in two ways: first, by proactively dealing with money mules in our area of responsibility, and second, by taking referrals from law enforcement across the country who have identified funds from their local victims that have landed in bank accounts in our area.
During the past year, the CFTF has continued to refer leads to local and state law enforcement for investigation of money mules. These leads originate from victim complaints made to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, known as “IC3,” as well as law enforcement leads from around the country through the StopTheMuleGa initiative.
- Bernard Kaba, 62, of Morrow, Georgia, was sentenced on August 30, 2022, to 10 years of probation and ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution to victims after pleading guilty to theft by taking in connection to his receipt of business email compromise (BEC) fraud proceeds.
- Borin Khoun, 45, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced on July 27, 2022, after pleading guilty to two indictments charging him with theft in connection with his receipt of fraud proceeds from romance and inheritance scams. Khoun was sentenced to 15 years, with the first 90 days to be served in custody followed by nine months of work release, and the remainder on probation. Khoun was also fined $1,500 and ordered to pay $234,479.58 in restitution to victims.
- Olayemi Fadipe, 41, of Snellville, Georgia, was charged by accusation for theft by receiving in connection with his participation in a romance/confidence fraud scheme.
- Stella Mae Zebic, 43, of Brookhaven, Georgia, was indicted in DeKalb County, Georgia, on January 17, 2023, on charges of theft by taking, computer crimes, and identity fraud in connection with her participation in a BEC scheme.
- Jaysen Robinson, 24, of Dunwoody, Georgia, was indicted in Fulton County, Georgia, on December 6, 2022, on charges of theft by taking and money laundering in connection with his participation in a BEC scheme that targeted a law firm.
- Augustus Edmund, 62, of Conyers, Georgia, was indicted in Hall County, Georgia, on February 15, 2023, on two counts of theft by taking for his role in a BEC scheme. The indictment alleges that he took over $200,000 from a non-profit organization in August 2021.
- Ugochinyere Anazodo, 44, of Suwannee, Georgia, was indicted in Gwinnett County, Georgia, on February 15, 2023, on charges of racketeering, theft, and money laundering in connection with his participation in several cyber-enabled fraud schemes, including romance and confidence frauds and a BEC fraud that resulted in a loss to the Georgia Department of Transportation.
- Chigbogwu Nnamani, 53, of Marietta, Georgia, was indicted in Gwinnett County on February 8, 2023, for theft by taking in connection with his participation in a BEC scheme.
Members of the public should keep in mind that indictments contain only allegations against the individual against whom the indictment is obtained. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and it will be the government’s burden at trial to prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the allegations contained in the indictment.
If you have been the victim of a cyber-enabled fraud scheme such as a business email compromise or a confidence fraud, report the fraud to your bank, your local law enforcement agency, and the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.
Business email compromise schemes rely on victims trusting their email communications are secure. If you are sending or receiving large sums of money, confirm the transaction instructions in person or in a phone call that you initiate. If you are engaged in online relationships, beware of individuals who make excuses not to meet in person and any requests for money.
You can find more information about online scams and how to protect yourself by visiting www.ic3.gov or the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division www.consumer.georgia.gov.
To help small businesses, non-profits, and places of worship safeguard their data and devices, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division created Cybersecurity in Georgia. This comprehensive guide includes critical tips and information on the different types of cyber threats, protecting your data and network, training employees about cybersecurity, planning for and responding to a security breach, cyber insurance, and more. Download your free copy here.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting a Court Security OfficerRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Carlos Perez, 46, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to assaulting a federal contractor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 21, 2021, Perez attempted to bypass security at the Robert E. Coyle Fresno Federal Courthouse. When a court security officer attempted to stop him, Perez swung his arm at the officer, striking the officer in the face.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Protective Services, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
Perez is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Perez faces a maximum statutory penalty of one year in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Fresno County Couple Pleads Guilty to Hacking Database Containing People’s Identities and Selling Them on the Dark Web for $160,000 in Digital CurrencyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Former Navy couple, Marquis Hooper, 32, and Natasha Chalk, 39, of Selma, pleaded guilty today to a conspiracy where they hacked a database that contained personally identifiable information (PII) and sold it on the dark web for $160,000 in digital currency, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Hooper also pleaded guilty to underlying wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.
According to court records, when Hooper was a chief petty officer and Chalk was a reservist in the Navy, Hooper opened an account with a private company that maintains a database containing PII for millions of people. The company restricts access to the database to businesses and government agencies that have a demonstrated, lawful need for the PII. Beginning in August 2018, Hooper opened an online account with the company by falsely representing that the Navy needed him to perform background checks on sailors. After Hooper opened his account, he added Chalk. The couple used Hooper’s access to the company’s database to obtain the PII of over 9,000 people. They then sold the PII on the dark web for $160,000.
At least some of the individuals to whom Hooper and Chalk sold people’s PII used it to commit further crimes. For example, one individual used the PII to create a driver’s license using a victim’s information and then tried to withdraw money from the victim’s bank account. The bank declined the transaction.
In December 2018, Hooper’s account was closed for suspected fraud. Thereafter, Hooper and Chalk enlisted an unindicted co-conspirator to regain access to the database. Under Hooper’s direction and with the promise of $2,500 for each month that the account was opened, the co-conspirator tried to open an account. Hooper created a fake contract that identified a further identity theft victim as a Navy supply officer authorizing the transaction, and when the company asked for verification, Hooper provided a fake driver’s license for the victim and a fake letter from a commanding officer approving the transaction. In the end, the company decided not to open the account.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Hooper and Chalk are scheduled to be sentenced July 24, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. They face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the conspiracy convictions. Hooper also faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the wire fraud conviction, and two years in prison, consecutive to other counts, for the aggravated identity theft conviction. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Four Members of Conspiracy that Trafficked Methamphetamine from California into Evansville Sentenced to a Total of 50 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Seroy A. Mobley, 38, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm. He was the leader of the methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, and the last of its four members to be sentenced.
According to court documents, between January and June of 2018, Seroy Mobley, Carl Kirkland, Seneca Binder, and Eric Wilkerson conspired to deal methamphetamine in Southern Indiana and Northern Kentucky. Mobley was the leader of the conspiracy, obtaining large amounts of methamphetamine from his source of supply, Kirkland. Kirkland shipped the meth from California to Evansville via U.S. mail. Mobley then distributed the narcotics to Binder and Wilkerson, who were mid-level distributors in the Evansville and Whitestown, Kentucky communities.
During the execution of a search warrant at Mobley’s Evansville residence, Evansville Police Department officers located a .38 caliber revolver, two digital scales, and 384 grams of meth in an infant’s room.
Mobley is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his previous state conviction for cocaine possession and federal conviction for armed drug trafficking. Mobley was released from federal prison for his prior conviction on June 25, 2015, and was still on federal supervised release when he was arrested for his role in the January 2018 conspiracy.
In total, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Evansville Police Department seized 25 pounds of methamphetamine and a .38 caliber revolver involved in the conspiracy.
As of today, all four defendants have been sentenced as follows:
Defendant
Offenses
Sentence
Seroy Mobley, 38,
of Evansville, IN
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
Illegally possessing a firearm
16.6 years’ imprisonment
5 years supervised release
3 years’ license revocation
Carl Kirkland, 57,
of Antioch, California
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
10 years’ imprisonment
5 years supervised release
Seneca Binder, 41,
of Evansville, IN
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
10 years’ imprisonment
5 years supervised release
Eric Wilkerson, 41,
of Whitestown, Kentucky
Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
15 years’ imprisonment
5 years supervised release
Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Indianapolis Field Office made the announcement.
“The methamphetamine ravaging our families and neighborhoods doesn’t come from nowhere,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Drug traffickers like those convicted in this case bring this poison from thousands of miles away and pump it onto our streets. We will continue to work with our partners at the DEA and Evansville Police Department to dismantle these meth trafficking conspiracies and hold them accountable.”
The DEA investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by the Evansville Police Department. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who prosecuted this case.
Previous release here.
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Four Individuals Arrested for Investment Fraud Scheme Targeting Hawaii ResidentsRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Today, Defendants HAITEM TAYLOR ABID DHAENE, age 19, LATIFA ZANKI DHAENE, age 47, TIM DHAENE, age 37, and SOFYANE ABID DHAENE, age 22, were arraigned in federal court on charges contained in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on February 23, 2023. The four defendants were arrested in Waikiki over the weekend by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). They all pled not guilty today, and trial was set for May 8, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi. SOFYANE DHAENE was ordered released on conditions, and the three others are scheduled for detention hearings on March 7 and 8.
According to the indictment, the four individuals are charged with wire fraud involving allegations they engaged in a fraudulent investment scheme by which they obtained more than $300,000. The indictment alleges that in January 2022, the family of four arrived in Los Angeles, California, on Belgian passports and moved to Hawaii in or about September 2022. The indictment further alleges that, between October 2022 and February 2023, they solicited multiple persons in Hawaii to invest money, based on false promises that the money would be placed in high return investment contracts supposedly guaranteed by a mainland wealth management firm and its partner. HAITEM DHAENE represented he was a partner in the mainland firm, when, according to the indictment, he was not a partner, and the wealth management firm did not know about his claimed association or the purported investment contracts.
Among other things, the indictment alleges the defendants falsely claimed to have formed a private equity investment group; that they provided an investment contract promising a return of 315% per annum; and that the contract bore the name and forged signature of a mainland wealth advisor. As a result of these promises, various individuals gave the four defendants approximately $309,000, including $294,000 withdrawn from an individual’s 401k retirement account.
According to U.S. Attorney Clare E. Connors, these charges are the product of close collaboration between federal and state law enforcement authorities. Specifically, the investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI and the Special Investigation and Prosecution Division (SIPD) of the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General.
“Our office is committed to investigating and prosecuting those who commit a wide variety of frauds in Hawaii,” stated U.S. Attorney Connors. “Here, we are pleased to work closely with SIPD, and believe this partnership substantially increases law enforcement’s ability to protect our community.”
“The Department of the Attorney General’s Special Investigation and Prosecution Division was created to give Hawaii a valuable tool to combat white-collar crime and human trafficking,” said Anne Lopez, Attorney General of the State of Hawaii. “This collaboration between SIPD, the United States Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and other law-enforcement partners will bring justice to Hawaii residents.”
"This alleged fraud is an unconscionable display of greed and manipulation," said Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. "The FBI is committed to bringing to justice those who perpetrate these outrageous scams."
Each defendant is charged with three counts of wire fraud, and each count carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison as well as a fine of up to $1 million. An indictment is merely an accusation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the FBI in partnership with SIPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Nolan and Deputy Attorney General Lauren M. Nakamura, who also serves as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Four Gangster Disciples Leaders Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy and MurderRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal jury convicted four leaders of the Gangster Disciples today for their participation in a years-long interstate racketeering conspiracy involving drug trafficking, witness tampering, and multiple murders.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the four defendants were members of the Gangster Disciples, a gang with a decades-long history of lawlessness and violence. The Gangster Disciples have a presence throughout the United States, including in state and federal prisons. The gang employs a structured hierarchy, with leadership positions such as national “Board Members” and state “Governors.” As part of their efforts to maintain control of the gang, the defendants murdered two other members who opposed their regime.
On May 18, 2018, Warren Griffin, aka GG, aka Big Head, 53, of Glenwood, Illinois, drove to the south side of Chicago with fellow Gangster Disciples Board Member Anthony Dobbins to murder a former powerful Board Member (Victim-1), because he opposed their status as Board Members in the gang. Griffin lured Victim-1, and Dobbins came up behind Victim-1 and shot him three times in the back and once in the face.
On April 28, 2018, Sean Clemon, aka Pops, 52, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and Dominique Maxwell, aka D-Mac, aka Monster, 30, also of Cape Girardeau, on orders from Frank Smith, aka Little Frank, aka Red Beard, 49, of Naperville, Illinois, fatally shot another victim (Victim-2) and injured two other men in Bridgeton, Missouri. The shooting was part of a leadership dispute in which Board Members Smith and Griffin sought to remove another Gangster Disciple member from his position as Governor of Missouri. Smith texted “Mike Tyson Punch Out” to Maxwell prior the shooting, which was an order to commit “extreme violence,” including murder. Both Clemon and Maxwell were promoted to leadership positions within the gang for committing this murder.
The defendants’ other acts of violence included a nightclub stabbing in East St. Louis, Illinois, and a nonfatal shooting in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Gangster Disciples members also engaged in various acts of drug trafficking, including a scheme to smuggle the synthetic drug “K2” into Missouri state prisons.
All four defendants were convicted of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering, and face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. The sentencing dates have not yet been set.
Smith, Maxwell, and Clemon were also convicted of racketeering conspiracy, as well as firearms offenses related to the murder of Victim-2. Griffin was also convicted of racketeering conspiracy, as well as firearms offenses related to the murder of Victim-1.
Dobbins pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy on Jan. 17.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe for the Southern District of Illinois made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Cape Girardeau Field Office; Federal Bureau of Prisons; FBI; DEA; Missouri Department of Corrections; Illinois State Police; Chicago Police Department; Bridgeton Police Department; Cape Girardeau Police Department; Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis; and O’Fallon (IL) Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jeremy Franker, Alexander Gottfried, and Christopher Usher of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Summers for the Southern District of Illinois provided substantial assistance.
Four Gangster Disciples Leaders Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy and MurderRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted four leaders of the Gangster Disciples today for their participation in a years-long interstate racketeering conspiracy involving drug trafficking, witness tampering, and multiple murders.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the four defendants were members of the Gangster Disciples, a gang with a decades-long history of lawlessness and violence. The Gangster Disciples have a presence throughout the United States, including in state and federal prisons. The gang employs a structured hierarchy, with leadership positions such as national “Board Members” and state “Governors.” As part of their efforts to maintain control of the gang, the defendants murdered two other members who opposed their regime.
On May 18, 2018, Warren Griffin, aka GG, aka Big Head, 53, of Glenwood, Illinois, drove to the south side of Chicago with fellow Gangster Disciples Board Member Anthony Dobbins to murder a former powerful Board Member (Victim-1), because he opposed their status as Board Members in the gang. Griffin lured Victim-1, and Dobbins came up behind Victim-1 and shot him three times in the back and once in the face.
On April 28, 2018, Sean Clemon, aka Pops, 52, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and Dominique Maxwell, aka D-Mac, aka Monster, 30, also of Cape Girardeau, on orders from Frank Smith, aka Little Frank, aka Red Beard, 49, of Naperville, Illinois, fatally shot another victim (Victim-2) and injured two other men in Bridgeton, Missouri. The shooting was part of a leadership dispute in which Board Members Smith and Griffin sought to remove another Gangster Disciple member from his position as Governor of Missouri. Smith texted “Mike Tyson Punch Out” to Maxwell prior the shooting, which was an order to commit “extreme violence,” including murder. Both Clemon and Maxwell were promoted to leadership positions within the gang for committing this murder.
The defendants’ other acts of violence included a nightclub stabbing in East St. Louis, Illinois, and a nonfatal shooting in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Gangster Disciples members also engaged in various acts of drug trafficking, including a scheme to smuggle the synthetic drug “K2” into Missouri state prisons.
All four defendants were convicted of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering, and face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. The sentencing dates have not yet been set.
Smith, Maxwell, and Clemon were also convicted of racketeering conspiracy, as well as firearms offenses related to the murder of Victim-2. Griffin was also convicted of racketeering conspiracy, as well as firearms offenses related to the murder of Victim-1.
Dobbins pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy on Jan. 17.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe for the Southern District of Illinois made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Cape Girardeau Field Office; Federal Bureau of Prisons; FBI; DEA; Missouri Department of Corrections; Illinois State Police; Chicago Police Department; Bridgeton Police Department; Cape Girardeau Police Department; Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis; and O’Fallon (IL) Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jeremy Franker, Alexander Gottfried, and Christopher Usher of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Summers for the Southern District of Illinois provided substantial assistance.
Former Luxury Homebuilder Indicted for Obstruction of Grand Jury Proceeding and False StatementsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner of a now-defunct luxury home building business in West Springfield has been indicted for allegedly obstructing a grand jury’s investigation of his businesses’ cash receipts.
Kent Pecoy, 64, of Wilbraham, was indicted on one count of corrupt concealment of records with intent to impair their use in an official proceeding, one count of obstruction of an official proceeding and one count of count of false statements. Pecoy will appear in federal court in Springfield at a later date.
Pecoy was previously indicted in a separate case in December 2019 along with his son, Jason Pecoy, and Kevin M. Kennedy, the former owner of a golf management company, for allegedly conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing cash payments for the construction of Kennedy’s two homes in East Longmeadow and West Dennis. The defendants were later charged in a superseding indictment in January 2020. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty in that case and are pending trial.
Pecoy was the sole owner, operator and chief executive officer of Kent Pecoy & Sons, Construction, Inc. (KPSC) – a West Springfield-based commercial and luxury home construction company. According to today’s indictment, between 2013 and 2016, a customer allegedly paid Pecoy and KPSC hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to construct a home in West Dennis. It is alleged that Pecoy failed to deposit most of the cash into business bank accounts and instead distributed the cash directly to vendors and subcontractors for the project.
On April 29, 2015, a federal grand jury sitting in Springfield issued KPSC a subpoena requiring the production of KPSC’s cash for services records beginning in Jan. 1, 2012. In June 2015, KPSC produced the subpoenaed records which allegedly included documents confirming that KPSC had made numerous, substantial cash payments to the lumber company, but no records indicating KPSC’s own receipt of cash. It is alleged that in response to a request for additional records concerning KPSC’s cash receipts, Pecoy falsely stated that KPSC had no additional records concerning KPSC’s cash receipts.
During a search of KPSC’s business premises in April 2016, it is alleged that numerous documents were discovered relating to KPSC’s receipt and distribution of cash from the customer home construction project, including payment ledgers, contracts, project check lists and e-mails exchanged between Pecoy and the project manager.
The charges of corrupt concealment of records with intent to impair their use in an official proceeding and obstruction of an official proceeding each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of making false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Eric B. Powers of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Florida Highway Patrol Captain Pleads Guilty to Accessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Christopher James Chappell, a 46-year-old former Captain with the Florida Highway Patrol, has pled guilty to accessing child sexual abuse material.
As part of his guilty plea, Chappell admitted to watching a video depicting the sexual abuse of a prepubescent minor child while he engaged in sexual acts with another individual. Chappell then sent a photo of his sexual encounter to a third individual in a group chat, which showed the child sexual abuse material playing in the background.
U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith will sentence Chappell on May 19, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Maged Behnam of the FBI Miami Field Office announced the conviction.
FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacee Elizabeth Monk is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-60148.
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Former Benton County Coach and Youth Pastor Sentenced to 45 Years for Exploiting ChildrenRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Joshua Henley, 34, formerly of Benton County, has been sentenced to 45 years in
federal prison for producing sexually explicit images of a minor, transporting, and possessing
child exploitation material, and transporting a minor interstate with the intent to engage in
sexual activity. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today.According to the information presented in court, from 2017 until April 2021, Henley was the pastor
at Holladay Church of Christ and coached the girls’ basketball team at Holladay Elementary. In
April 2021, Henley left Benton County to become the youth pastor at a church in Indiana. In June
2021, Henley returned to Benton County and transported a teen to Indiana under the guise that she
was to assist at his new parish. Instead, Henley sexually assaulted the teen. Henley was arrested
as he was driving her back to Tennessee.At the time of Henley’s arrest, he had a cell phone which contained sexually explicit images and
videos of two other Tennessee teenagers with which he had contact through SnapChat and FaceTime.
The teens each disclosed that Henley also engaged in sexual activity with them.Henley has worked with young people in other states including Oklahoma and Texas.
United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Henley to 540 months in federal prison to
be followed by ten years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.This case was investigated by the FBI’s Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Benton County
Sheriff’s Department, the Evansville Police Department and TBI’s Technical Service Unit.United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Debra Ireland and
Lauren Delery, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners
who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact Public Information Officer Cherri Green at (901)
544-4231 or [email protected]. Follow @WDTNNews on Twitter for office news
and updates.Former Accountant Providing Financial Services to Utah Charter Schools Indicted for $2.5M Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah returned an indictment March 1, 2023, charging a Utah man with allegedly planning and executing a scheme to steal money from two Utah charter schools for his own personal gain and the benefit of his family, including paying for cosmetic surgeries for his wife.
According to court documents, Cole Arnold, 39, of Kaysville, Utah, was an accountant for Academica West Services, which provides services for charter school business operations. Arnold provided financial services to several charter schools in Utah, including North Davis Preparatory Academy and Ascent Academies. Beginning in August 2017 and continuing through June 2022, Arnold used his position at Academica West Services to allegedly steal $2,563,348.23 from North Davis Preparatory and Ascent Academies. According to the indictment, Arnold’s fraudulent activity included: creating false invoices, bills and credit card statements claiming fees for school supplies, teacher salaries, and other fictitious line-item expenses, for the purpose of generating payments to credit cards controlled by himself; creating false computer journal entries claiming a variety of school related expenses; passing fraudulently obtained money through Venmo and a bank account in the name of Upper Limit Innovation, a registered Utah business that Arnold was a co-owner and registered agent of, to transfer the fraudulently obtained money. The stolen charter school funds were used by Cole for travel, concerts, cosmetic surgeries, home improvements, jewelry, furniture, electronics, and other personal expenses.
Arnold is charged with 10 counts of wire fraud, and five counts of money laundering. The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance March 30, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah.
U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake Financial Crimes Task Force, which includes IRS-CI, Layton Police Department and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney, Jennifer K. Muyskens, for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Firearm Possession Results in Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
A man who was found in possession of a firearm by Fayette County authorities who were initially assisting in a runaway child investigation was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison.
Rusty Joe Barker, age 39, from Hawkeye, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 7, 2022 guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
At the guilty plea, Barker admitted he possessed a firearm on August 10, 2022, and that he had previously been convicted in 2007 in Chickasaw County, Iowa, of the felony offenses of third-degree kidnapping, and two counts of willful injury-causing serious injury. The firearm was found in Barker’s house.
Barker was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Barker was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Barker is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-02057.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man for Weapons ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today, that on March 3, 2023 a federal grand jury indicted LARYAN REED, age 22, with a weapon violation that occurred on February 17, 2023.
In Count 1 of the indictment, REED is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). If convicted, REED faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a period of up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime Unit.
reed_laryan_indictment_redacted_sanitized.pdfFort Washakie Man Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Person Under the Age of 16Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced today that Chief United States District Court Judge Scott Skavdahl sentenced LESLIE FRANK NOSEEP, III, age 20, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, to six months in prison for assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a person under the age of 16. The sentence includes three years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $458.96 and a $100 special assessment.
On September 10, 2022, Noseep was driving on Old Wind River Highway on the Wind River Indian Reservation while intoxicated. Noseep swerved into the oncoming lane of travel and struck a 14-year-old boy who was riding his skateboard on the side of the road. The boy suffered deep lacerations on his knees and calf. Noseep fled the scene and was later apprehended by law enforcement.
This crime was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry Jacobson prosecuted the case.
Case No. 22-cr-00100-SWS
Evansville Felon Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine, Illegally Possessing Multiple Guns and Body ArmorRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Deariel Simmons, 29, of Evansville, Indiana was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, on July 15, 2020, officials with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the United States Postal Service (USPIS) opened an investigation into Simmons after intercepting a package sent from California that contained two kilograms of methamphetamine hidden inside of a paint can. The package was delivered to an Evansville address where Simmons was observed picking it up and leaving in his Ford Fusion.
When Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s deputies initiated a traffic stop of Simmons, he fled the scene and led deputies on a vehicle pursuit. Simmons eventually threw the package out the window of his vehicle, then jumped out and fled on foot. After a brief foot chase, deputies lost track of Simmons when he jumped over a six-foot fence and ran toward civilians. Dash cam footage showed Simmons later returning to his truck and leaving the scene. Simmons escaped but was later located and arrested.
On October 8, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Simmons’ residence. Officers seized five digital scales, a plastic bag containing 17.6 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, an electronic money counter, a body armor vest, four loaded firearms, and ammunition.
Simmons is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his previous felony robbery conviction in Vanderburgh County.
“This defendant was a tremendous danger to our community: trafficking meth, fleeing from police, and illegally equipping himself with loaded guns and body armor,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “His prior felony convictions make these crimes all the more egregious. The serious federal prison sentence imposed today shows that the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our partners at the USPIS, DEA, and Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, will not tolerate armed methamphetamine traffickers in our neighborhoods.”
“This successful partnership between the US Postal Inspection Service, the DEA, and local law enforcement should serve as a warning to anyone dealing in these dangerous and illegal substances that the Postal Inspection Service and our partners are unwavering in our mission to identify and disrupt their illegal activity,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector-in-Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Detroit Division.
DEA and USPIS investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by the Vanderburgh County Joint Task Force and Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Simmons be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren M. Wheatley, Matthew B. Miller, and Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
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District Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Armed Carjacking and Robbery in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Devin Gatewood, also known as James J. Williams, 23, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to five years in prison on felony charges stemming from an armed carjacking and robbery in the Trinidad area of Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Gatewood pleaded guilty on November 3, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of robbery, one count of carrying a dangerous weapon, and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle. He was sentenced by the Honorable Jason Park. Following his prison term, Gatewood will be placed on three years of supervised release. At the time of the offense, Gatewood was on probation for an April 2022 misdemeanor firearms conviction in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Heidi M. Pasichow revoked Gatewood’s probation in that case and has scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 13, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of August 28, 2022, Gatewood and an unidentified accomplice approached the victim, who was sitting in his parked vehicle in the 1100 block of Queen Street NE. The victim felt uneasy and got out of his car to make small talk with the men. Gatewood produced what appeared to be a 9mm handgun and communicated to the victim that he was being robbed. The victim laid down on the ground, while Gatewood and the accomplice took his iPhone, Apple Watch, car keys, and cash. Gatewood drove away in the victim’s vehicle, and the accomplice left in a separate vehicle.
The victim called the Metropolitan Police Department. MPD officers located the victim’s vehicle within minutes and followed the vehicle until it came to an abrupt stop. Gatewood jumped out of the vehicle’s driver’s seat and began to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended. No firearm was recovered. Gatewood has remained in custody since his arrest.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal L. Waddy. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Defendant Sentenced to 17 Years for Murder-For-Hire Scheme and Related Shooting in PoughkeepsieRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and William V. Grady, the Dutchess County District Attorney, announced that JUSTTIN KENYOTTA HAYWOOD was sentenced to 17 years in prison for his participation in a murder-for-hire scheme and related shooting in Poughkeepsie in 2020 in which HAYWOOD, having been offered $5,000 to kill another individual, wrongly identified, pursued, and shot at a 17-year-old boy who had been playing basketball in a park with two friends in Poughkeepsie. HAYWOOD previously pled guilty to murder for hire and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition before United States District Judge Nelson S. Román, who imposed the sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Justtin Haywood’s sentence shows that senseless acts of violence will be met with severe consequences. Haywood agreed to murder another individual and then shot at an innocent 17-year-old boy, who had been playing basketball with friends in a park. For this crime, Haywood will spend 17 years in federal prison.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “As this sentence demonstrates, there is no place in our community for anyone willing to commit murder. Criminal behavior like Haywood's is a dangerous bane to society and often results in innocent people being placed in harm's way. The FBI's Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force and our partners in law enforcement work tirelessly to make those who have complete disregard for humanity face the consequences of their actions.”
Dutchess County Chief Assistant District Attorney Matthew Weishaupt said: “We commend the joint effort by all the agencies involved in bringing Mr. Haywood to justice for this horrific shooting and targeting of an innocent young man. Let the message be clear: we will use all available resources to bring violent criminals to justice and ensure the safety of our community. We have an outstanding working relationship with our federal partners and will continue to work together to combat this senseless violence.”
According to the Complaint and the Information filed against the defendant, other documents filed in federal court, and statements made in public court proceedings:
In late December 2019 and early January 2020, Haywood traveled from Colorado to North Carolina and then ultimately up to Poughkeepsie, New York, and met with a co-conspirator (“CC-1”) who offered him $5,000 to kill another male individual. Haywood agreed to do so, and on January 15, 2020, wrongly believing to have found his intended target, approached three teenagers playing basketball in King Street Park in Poughkeepsie and attempted to shoot one of them, a 17-year-old boy, ultimately chasing them in his car as they fled on foot and firing multiple shots from inside of his car. Fortunately, no one was hit.
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In addition to his prison sentence, HAYWOOD, 40, of Aurora, Colorado, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, and the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office.
The FBI’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, and the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office conducted a joint investigation of the 2020 shooting and murder-for-hire scheme.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Sullivan is in charge of the prosecution.